Turbinado Sugar

I am always hesitant to post a blog at the first of a new year. It seems that one should say something profound or wise about the past year or the one upon us. I do not make resolutions to break, nor promises to myself that I have no intentions of keeping. Although it can be a time for reflection I approach it as a time to regenerate and pretty much do “nothing”.

How does one do “nothing”? The answer for me is very intentionally and purposefully. In fact I have been doing “nothing” with gusto! I have playing in my kitchen trying out recipes from my ever-growing list, watching BBC shows on cable on rainy days, reading, taking long walks, having lunch with friends, reading, having coffee in bed while reading, eating at new restaurants we have been intending to try all year, spending fun time with the family, seeing a movie or two! That is how I have spent a lot of the Holiday week…”doing nothing”…..really!

One chilly morning this week, while again attending to my art of “doing nothing”, I made myself a hot cup of “Le Chocolat Chaud”. This very Parisian hot chocolate has been on my list of things to try for a long time. I had it in Paris many, many years ago and have never forgotten it. My version is based on a recipe by David Lebovitz with my addition of a splash of vanilla and I used turbinado sugar instead of classic brown baking sugar.

Very good bittersweet chocolate is the starting place. I used Callebaut from Belgium.

A large cup or mug, steaming hot milk, turbinado sugar and a splash of vanilla extract along with the chocolate is all you need to make the most heavenly flavored cup of hot chocolate you will ever drink.

May your days be bright, your nights be cozy, and your 2016 the best year you can possibly have. Stay well.

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This past week has been busy in a fun way. Photo shoots both editorial and commercial, celebrations of a new cookbook release that I worked on, and a weekend full of the World Cup and a lazy baking Saturday. The other fun thing for me is that as of today I am adding a “printable recipe” at the end of all my posts! This will make it easier for you to try out some of the offerings from Food on Fifth.

I do think I have a case of “peach madness” this summer. I blame this totally on the arrival of “The Peach Truck” in Nashville from Georgia with bags and bags full of delicious peaches. I eat them rinsed, fuzz and all, on cereal, on toast. I have made frozen yogurt, pies and more recently this upside down cake using peaches and olive oil along with a flour I ran across in the grocery store a few days ago…Domata Gluten Free Recipe Ready Flour.

I realize that everyone knows about Georgia Peaches, but are you aware there is a thriving olive oil business down in Lakeland, Georgia…acres and acres of olive trees? I didn’t until I was given a bottle by cookbook author, Matt Moore, while working on a photo shoot with him. Amazingly good and perfect for my cake. A belated thanks Matt.

Whether testing recipes for clients or cooking at home I always gather and measure all my ingredients before I start just to make sure I have everything I need. I find it very annoying to get to the middle of a recipe and realize I am short an egg or do not have enough milk. Very annoying.

I used a fluted pan just because I think it is pretty.

I let this cake cool for about 30 minutes before turning it out onto a plate.

Flipped out onto a plate & ready for a powder sugar dusting. Love the color of those peaches!

So pretty and moist, with an almost pudding-like texture and nice crispy edges. Not too sweet (you know I do not like overly sweet desserts) with the flavor of the peaches coming through strong.

Of course we ate a slice while the cake was still warm on Saturday, but the next day, chilled, it was still as good…in fact so good that my friend Terry M. ate 2 pieces while we worked the Sunday NYTimes Crossword puzzle! Yep, that good.

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Wouter, who is Dutch, introduced me to this style of eating small, sweet strawberries on toasted bread with butter.

Not really a recipe, here is what you do to for the best Saturday, May 17th, breakfast ever…..

1. Wash 1 pint of small, local, sweet strawberries under cool running water. Remove caps & put into a bowl, cutting larger berries in half. Sprinkle berries with a bit of turbinado/raw sugar. Crush a few berries with a fork. Let sit while you make toast.

2. Slather toasted bread with softened butter, top with berries & another light dusting of sugar. This simple way of eating berries allows them to retain their flavor without being overwhelmed by other ingredients. It is just magical. Thanks Wouter.